EP0291406B1 - Method and device for the production of an illuminated design and its engraving - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method and a device for producing and engraving a design which is intended to form an illuminated zone after having been placed in the light beam of a projector. <??>The method according to the invention comprises the following successive stages: definition of a reference point (38), movement of this reference point with or without recording (20) of this movement, and engraving (43) of the movement made. <??>The device according to the invention comprises a plate (19) intended to have a plurality of engraving locations, a device (20) for moving from location to location, a design-defining device (38), a memory (20) and an engraving device (43). <??>The present invention is intended, more particularly, to be employed in the field of shows, and makes it possible to produce lighting effects and zones of light which are proportional to the objects, scenery and individuals situated in the projection space. <IMAGE>

Description

The present invention relates to a method and a device for establishing and engraving a pattern intended to produce, after having been placed in the light beam of a projector, an illuminated area. More particularly, such a motif is intended to be projected onto a stage, so as to create a luminous decoration.

It is already known to provide a plate opaque to light with a transparent zone intended to allow a light beam to pass only inside said zone.

This zone can be of any suitable shape, for example a star. When a light beam crosses this area, the shape of this area is reproduced on a screen, or a scene.

In the scenic field, it is common to use such plates provided with transparent zones to produce a luminous decoration on a stage.

There are commercially available plates with transparent zones with pre-established shapes. However, the user of such plates cannot make the plates himself with the patterns he needs. In addition, the user cannot create his own plates during the performance of a show and he is obliged to prepare in advance all the patterns he will need.

It is also known in particular from document US-A-4 609 268 to provide a light beam projection device capable of forming an illuminated area for example on a screen, and a means for storing patterns such as a device suitable for be placed in the light beam to project a desired pattern. Such projection devices do not allow the user to define and engrave the patterns on the pattern storage means.

The object of the invention is to overcome all of these drawbacks by providing a method and a device allowing the user to define and then engrave his own patterns simultaneously or later, capable of being placed in a light beam for viewing on a screen or stage, this in a simple and rapid manner.

The present invention also aims to provide the user with the possibility of creating a light space of any shape and size using one or more projection devices.

• définition d'un point de référence formant par projection une zone de lumière contrastée sur ledit écran;
• déplacement dudit point de référence dans le faisceau lumineux du projecteur de sorte que sa trajectoire définisse une zone de lumière contrastée désirée et visualisation de ce déplacement;
• gravure de façon simultanée ou postérieurement au déplacement du point de référence, suivant une trajectoire correspondant à celle du point de référence sur un moyen de stockage de motifs.

To this end, the present invention relates to a method for establishing and engraving a pattern intended to produce, after being placed in the light beam of a projector, an illuminated area of any shape and size, said illuminated area being viewed on a screen, said method being characterized in that it comprises the following steps:

• definition of a reference point forming by projection a zone of contrasting light on said screen;
• displacement of said reference point in the light beam of the projector so that its trajectory defines a zone of desired contrasted light and visualization of this displacement;
• etching simultaneously or after the displacement of the reference point, following a trajectory corresponding to that of the reference point on a pattern storage means.

The present invention also relates to a device for defining and etching patterns intended to be placed in a light beam, comprising a device for projecting a light beam capable of forming an illuminated area on a screen, a means for storing patterns adapted to be placed in the light beam to project a desired pattern, characterized in that it includes a reference point adapted to be positioned in the light beam of the projection device to form a zone of contrasting light, a device for moving the reference point in the light beam to define a zone of contrasting light of desired shape, means for engraving movable relative to the pattern storage means, a device for controlling movement of the means for engraving relative to the means for storing patterns following a trajectory corresponding to that of the reference point to engrave the desired pattern on the storage means.

Thanks to these provisions, the user can create the patterns he needs himself, beforehand or directly during a show. It can freely enlarge or reduce the shape projected on the screen and this from a desk and without having to manipulate in any way whatsoever the plate serving as support for the patterns.

• la figure 1 est une vue schématique en perspective d'un dispositif de projection de type connu ;
• la figure 2 est une vue schématique en perspective d'un dispositif de projection selon un premier mode de réalisation de l'invention,
• la figure 3 est une vue schématique en perspective montrant le dispositif de commande du dispositif de projection selon le premier mode de réalisation de l'invention,
• la figure 4 est une vue en perspective montrant une plaque à graver montée sur un dispositif de déplacement,
• la figure 5 est une vue schématique en perspective montrant le dispositif de gravure selon le premier mode de réalisation de l'invention,
• la figure 6 est une vue schématique montrant une plaque à graver, un système de point de référence et un dispositif de gravure selon un second mode de réalisation de l'invention,
• la figure 7 est une vue analogue à la figure 6 montrant le dispositif selon le second mode de réalisation de l'invention en position de gravure,
• la figure 8 est une vue analogue à la figure 6 montrant le dispositif selon le second mode de réalisation de l'invention en position de projection ou de repos.

Other objects, characteristics and advantages of the invention will emerge from the description which follows, given by way of example with reference to the appended drawings in which:

• Figure 1 is a schematic perspective view of a projection device of known type;
• Figure 2 is a schematic perspective view a projection device according to a first embodiment of the invention,
• FIG. 3 is a schematic perspective view showing the control device of the projection device according to the first embodiment of the invention,
• FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a plate to be engraved mounted on a displacement device,
• FIG. 5 is a schematic perspective view showing the etching device according to the first embodiment of the invention,
• FIG. 6 is a schematic view showing a plate to be engraved, a reference point system and an engraving device according to a second embodiment of the invention,
• FIG. 7 is a view similar to FIG. 6 showing the device according to the second embodiment of the invention in the engraving position,
• Figure 8 is a view similar to Figure 6 showing the device according to the second embodiment of the invention in the projection or rest position.

A projection device of known type (FIG. 1) generally comprises a lamp 11, an elliptical mirror 12, a plate 13 provided with a projection window 14, a lens 15 and a mirror 16.

When a light beam is emitted by the lamp 11 along the direction of an optical axis I, an illuminated surface 18 reproducing the shape of the projection window 14 is obtained on a screen E, after reflection on the mirror 16. screen E can be of any kind; it can consist of a stage, or a screen proper.

The device according to the invention, as described and shown in Figures 2 to 5, further comprises with respect to a conventional projection device, an engraving plate 19 connected to a control device 20 of this plate and to a engraving 43.

The device 20 for controlling the plate to be engraved (FIG. 3) consists of a drawing machine 21, a recorder 22, a positioning device 23 and a device 23A for moving the plate to be engraved.

The engraving plate 19 is held in place in the displacement device 23A by a support 24 (FIG. 4) itself connected to a frame 25. The support 24 is movable in two directions X and Y, thanks to two motors 26, 27.

The motor 26 makes it possible to rotate a transverse endless screw 28, connected to the support 24 by a thread 29, while the motor 27 allows to rotate a longitudinal endless screw 30 connected to the support 24 by a thread 31 .

The support 24 is guided by sliding by transverse guides 32 and 33 and longitudinal 34 and 35.

A second longitudinal endless screw 36 is rotated simultaneously with the longitudinal screw 30, thanks to a chain transmission 37.

The frame 25 can pivot along two perpendicular axes A and B.

The etching plate 19 is constituted by a glass plate, one of the faces of which is covered with a material opaque to light, such as a film, except at one point, called reference point 38, left transparent to the light.

This plate 19 is intended to carry engravings made in locations 39 (dotted in Figure 4) not physically delimited on the plate 19, but whose shapes and dimensions are known to the device according to the invention.

The engraving device 43 (FIG. 5) comprises a control box 44 with a point for engraving 42, carried by an arm 45 pivoting about an axis C.

The point for engraving 42 is movable along an axis Z by means of an electromagnet which maintains it either in a position spaced from the plate to be engraved 19, or in contact with this plate.

The pivoting arm 45 has a position of work, as shown in Figure 5 in solid lines, and a rest position shown in dotted lines.

The operation of the device according to the invention is described below.

The light beam emitted by the lamp 11 (Figure 2) passes through the projection window 14 of the plate 13 and the reference point 38 of the plate to be etched then the objective 15, before being reflected by the mirror 16 towards the screen E, where it creates a light point 40.

A user in visual contact with the screen E then places the tip of a pencil 41 in a pencil support device of the drawing machine 21 (FIG. 3).

When the user moves the pencil 41 on his drawing machine, the movement which he performs is transmitted to the positioning device 23, then to the displacement device 23A and more particularly to the motors 26 and 27 which then move the plate correspondingly to engrave 19 and therefore the reference point 36 in the light beam emitted by the lamp 11. Therefore the light point 40 described on the screen E a displacement proportional to that described by the pencil 41 of the user on the machine To draw.

It is thus seen that the user can draw and / or write with the light point 40, that is to say in fact move the light point 40 on the screen E, in any way, simply by drawing, and / or by writing with a pencil 41, that is to say by moving this pencil 41 on a drawing machine.

When the user no longer wishes to move a light point on a screen, but to project a light contour on this screen that he has defined himself, he then proceeds as follows.

Firstly, the user moves his pencil 41 over the drawing machine according to the pattern he wishes to project while the recorder 22 is in operation. As in the previously described case, the light point 40 moves on the screen E so proportional to the movement of the pencil 41. As soon as the entire pattern that the user wishes to project has been produced, the recorder 22 is then stopped. The recorder has now memorized the movement of the engraving plate 19 in the light beam to create the pattern desired by the user.

At the start of the recording by the recorder 22 of the desired pattern, the engraving plate 19 is placed so that the reference point 38 is on the optical axis I.

Secondly, the user selects, by means of the positioning device 23, the location 39 on the engraving plate 19 that he wishes to engrave. The center of the location 39 selected is then positioned on the optical axis I by displacement of the engraving plate 19 by means of the motors 26 and 27.

The electromagnet enabling the point for etching 42 to come into contact with the center of the location 39 selected is then activated.

The recorder 22 then controls the displacement device 23A and therefore the displacement of the engraving plate 19 according to the data that it has stored.

The etching tip 42 then scrapes the opaque material covering the location 39 selected according to the movement of the etching plate 19.

When all the recorded pattern has thus been reproduced on the selected location 39, it then suffices to deactivate the electromagnet of the point to engrave so that the latter is no longer in contact with the plate to be engraved. Thereafter, the pivoting arm 45 is placed in the rest position by controlling the rotation of the arm 45 about the axis C.

Throughout the duration of the etching, if the lamp 11 emits a light beam, the pattern which one wishes to reproduce is projected as it is etched on the screen E.

When it is desired to project an already engraved pattern, the arm 45 carrying the point for engraving is placed in the rest position.

We thus produced an engraved pattern which can be projected on a screen. It is then easy to build up a library of original patterns to project.

Of course it is possible to memorize any number of patterns and to engrave only a few. The locations 39 to be engraved can be engraved in any order.

When an engraving plate 19 is completely engraved, it is removed from the plate support and replaced by a blank plate. The number and size of the locations 39 are not limited, but must be indicated to the positioning device.

The engraving operation has been described as being carried out in two distinct stages, but in fact these two stages can be confused. Thus it is possible to engrave directly on the plate 19 a pattern produced directly on the drawing machine and not memorized by the recorder 22.

The engraved patterns can be of any shape and nature, for example they can be only light contours (stars, squares ...) or light spots (discs, checkerboards, ...). It should be noted that by engraving a drawing in perspective one can give the projection the illusion that this drawing is in three dimensions. In addition, the same location to be engraved 39 can carry several different patterns so that when this location is lit the whole scene or the screen is filled with spots, objects or luminous contours.

Of course it is possible to engrave, one after the other, drawings intended to be projected one after the other, either by providing a stop between each drawing, or by making a series of drawings not delimited between them, or by making crossfades. In the latter case, it is necessary to use two devices according to the invention.

Figures 6 to 8 illustrate a second embodiment of an engraving plate 50, a point system 51 and an etching device 52 according to the invention.

In this second embodiment, the engraving plate 50 is constituted by a disc 54 on which there are locations 53, physically not delimited but known to the device according to the invention.

The disc 54 is rotated about an axis D by means of a drive motor 55 transmitting its movement to the disc 54 via a chain 56.

The disc 54 is made of opaque material, except for one of its locations which is translucent.

As before, the disc 54 receives a light beam coming from a lamp (not shown), via a projection window (not shown) carried by a plate 57.

The engraving device 52 comprises an arm 58 provided at its free end with a point for engraving 59 which can be moved along an axis Z ′ by means of an electromagnet. The arm 58 is also slidably mounted along an axis Y ', by means of a motor 62, on a vertical support 60. The vertical support 60 moves along an axis X' along a guide 61, thanks to a motor 63.

The point for engraving 59 can therefore be moved along three axes X ', Y', Z '.

The reference point system 51 is constituted by an opaque plate 64 provided with a translucent reference point 65. This plate is fixed by means of a sliding arm 66, along an axis Y ", along a guide 67, thanks to a motor 68.

The guide 67 is for its part mounted to slide along an axis X "along a guide 69 by means of a motor 70.

The reference point system 51 is therefore movable along two axes X "and Y". Furthermore, the displacement of the reference point system 51 is analogous to the displacement of the engraving device 52.

The operation of the device shown in Figures 6 to 8 is explained below.

When the device according to the invention is at rest or used for projection, (see FIG. 8) the engraving device 52 and the reference point system 51 are placed away from the disc 54, and in any case outside of the light beam from the lamp (not shown).

When it is desired to memorize a pattern or to move the light spot on the screen E, the reference point system 51 is placed in front of the disc 54 (FIG. 6) so that the reference point 65 of the opaque plate 64 either in the center of the translucent location of the disc 54.

As in the previous embodiment, the displacement of a pencil on a drawing machine causes a proportional displacement of the reference point 65 in front of the disc 54. The disc 54 is of course fixed. The displacement of the reference point 65 to create a pattern can, as in the first embodiment, be stored.

When it is desired to engrave a memorized pattern (FIG. 7), the reference point system 51 is moved along the axis X "so that it is not in front of the disc 54.

A location to be engraved 53 is then selected by rotation of the disc 54 so that this location to be engraved is placed in the position occupied by the translucent location during the memorization of the pattern. The engraving device 52 is then moved along the axis X ′ so that the point for engraving is placed in the middle of the opaque location 53 selected. The point for engraving is then brought into contact with this selected location. The movement of the engraving device is carried out on the basis of the data recorded during the movement of the reference point system 51. Of course this data is processed by a calculation unit, not shown, since the movements of the reference point system 51 and of the engraving device 52 are inverse. In practice, the calculation unit can be a simple polarity reverser. When of the engraving operation the disc 54 is fixed.

As a variant, the engraving device and the reference point system can be placed on the same side with respect to the engraving disc 54. Consequently, the movements of the reference point system and of the engraving device are similar.

It should be noted that, as in the case of the first embodiment, the memorized and / or engraved patterns can be of any shape and nature and the same location 53 can support several distinct patterns. It should be noted that the two embodiments described above are intended for use with a computer. Thus the storage of the data can advantageously be carried out on diskette or on any suitable medium.

Likewise, it is possible that the reference point system is, not a bright spot on an opaque screen, but an opaque spot on a bright screen.

It should also be noted that, as a variant, the etching device can be replaced by a marking device intended to opacify plate or disc locations which originally are translucent. The operating principle remains analogous, however.

It should be noted that the fact that each pattern is recorded makes it possible, when the device according to the invention is used in a place other than that in which the patterns have been recorded, to adapt to the new dimensions of the screen by multiplying (or by dividing) the data corresponding to the recorded pattern by an appropriate factor.

It is possible to combine several projection devices provided with a plate or disc according to the invention with a single drawing machine, a recorder and a device making it possible to control each projection device separately or together.

A third embodiment (not shown) of the present invention consists of a simplified device comprising an engraving support, a system of reference point and an engraving device.

The support to be engraved is in this case a strip of transparent plastic material, divided into a plurality of locations arranged one after the other on the strip. This strip is movable in the light beam of a projector, by means of suitable motors, so that each location can be brought into said light beam.

The reference point system is a point that moves in the light beam of the projector. This point is placed between the strip to be engraved and a lens of the type represented in FIG. 1. When the reference point system is moved in the light beam, it creates a shadow which moves on a screen or a scene entirely enlightened. The displacement of this reference point is achieved by the corresponding displacement of a pencil on a drawing table. The displacement of such a reference point can be memorized to be retransmitted to an engraving system whose task is to opacify on the support strip an initially translucent location, so as to reproduce the luminous contour memorized by reversing it. Indeed, the memorized contour was constituted by a shadow area on a fully lit scene, and must be transformed by the engraving device, into a bright area projected on an unlit scene. This inversion is not however compulsory and everything depends on the desired staging.

The engraving device consists of a pencil depositing a color on a location of the strip forming the support to be engraved.

It should be noted that it is thus possible to obtain colored luminous images or contours.

Of course the memorization and the engraving of a pattern can be carried out at the same time.

It is of course possible to delimit on the location of the strip forming a support to be engraved, the different zones to be opacified, and to carry out this clouding by simple manual coloring. The cost of such a device is then minimized.

Of course, the invention is not limited to the embodiments chosen and it is possible to envisage other variants without departing from the scope of the invention. For example, the shape of the storage means (plate or disk) as well as its size can be any.

It should be noted that whatever the embodiment, it is always possible to create a colored luminous pattern. In the context of the first and second embodiments, it suffices for the plate carrying the opaque film to be colored, or else one comes to deposit, manually or automatically one or more colors on this plate at the places where the opaque film has been withdrawn.

The present invention makes it possible to create contours and therefore also makes it possible to record the contour of an existing object whatever the dimension of this object. Therefore, and although the present invention was created for the scenic field whether in the studio or outdoors, it can be used as an aid to creation for example to allow to define the contours of new furniture or other objects. Similarly, it can be used in the field of sewing, decoration, architecture.

Indeed, thanks to the present invention, it is easy to copy the shape of a garment, an object, a house. In this case, it is enough simply to follow with the light spot created by the projector according to the invention, the contours of the garment, of the object, of the house in question. These contours are memorized. This recorded data can operate any type of device, for example tissue cutting tools to make a garment. This recorded data can also be burned, to then be projected onto a screen, then enlarged or reduced and thus serve to materialize the recorded contour, to carry out any work of creation, modifications, etc ... on it.

Claims (18)

1. A process for producing and imprinting a motif intended to form an illuminated zone (18) of any shape and size, after being placed in the beam of light of a projector, said illuminated zone being displayed on a screen (E), said process being characterised in that it comprises the following stages:

   - defining a point of reference (38, 65) which forms, by projection, a contrast light zone (40) on said screen;

   - displacing said point of reference in the beam of light of the projector in such a way that its trajectory defines a desired, contrast light zone, and display of this displacement;

   - imprinting, either simultaneously with, or subsequent to, the displacement of the point of reference, along a trajectory corresponding to that of the point of reference on a motif storage means (19, 50).
2. A process according to Claim 1, characterised in that it comprises additionally, between the stage of displacing the point of reference and the stage of imprinting, a stage whereby the displacement of said point of reference is recorded, and characterised in that the operation of imprinting enables the recorded motif to be imprinted.
3. A process according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said motif storage means (19, 50) has a plurality of fixed positions (39, 53) for imprinting, and characterised in that said process additionally comprising the following steps:

   - positioning any one of the positions (39, 53) of the storage means (19, 50) in the beam of light to project the imprinted motif into the marked position selected subsequently from any one of the empty positions, or otherwise, of the storage means relative to an imprinting means.
4. A device for defining and imprinting motifs intended to be placed in a beam of light, comprising a device for projecting beams of light (11, 12) capable of forming an illuminated zone (18) on a screen (E), a motif storage means (19, 50) capable of being placed in the beam of light for the projection of a desired motif, characterised in that it comprises a point of reference (38, 65) capable of being placed in the beam of light of the projection device for forming a contrast light zone (40), a device for displacement of the point of reference (23A, 51) in the beam of light for the purpose of defining a contrast light zone of the desired shape, a means for imprinting (42, 59) which is movable in relation to the motif storage means (19, 50), a control device for displacing (20, 52) the imprinting means relative to the motif storage means along a trajectory which corresponds to that of the point of reference to imprint the desired motif on the storage means.
5. A device according to Claim 4, characterised in that the displacement control device (20, 52) additionally comprises a device for recording (22) the trajectory of the point of reference, in order to control displacement of the imprinting means (42, 59) in relation to the motif storage means (19, 50) along the recorded trajectory.
6. A device according to Claim 4 or Claim 5, characterised in that the motif storage means comprises a plurality of motif positions (39, 53), and that the device additionally comprises a device for displacement (23A; 55, 56) of the motif storage means from position to position either to enable a motif to be imprinted in a pre-selected position, or to enable the imprinted motif to be projected in a pre-selected position.
7. A device according to Claim 4, Claim 5 or Claim 6, characterised in that the storage means comprises a plate (39, 53) which is covered with an opaque material, the imprinting means comprising a point for imprinting (42, 59) which is capable of taking off the opaque material in order to imprint the trajectory corresponding to that of the point of reference.
8. A device according to Claim 4, 5 or 6, characterised in that the motif storage means comprises a transparent plate, and the imprinting means comprises a marking device intended to make the plate opaque to imprint the trajectory corresponding to that of the point of reference.
9. A device according to any one of Claims 4 to 7, characterised in that the motif storage means comprises in a particular position (39) the point of reference (38), the point of reference being controlled by the displacement device (23A) of the motif storage means.
10. A device according to any one of Claims 4 to 7, characterised in that the point of reference is formed in a plate (64) which is separate from the motif storage means (50), the plate being movable between a position in the beam of light and a position alongside the beam of light controlled by the device for displacement of the point of reference (51).
11. A device according to Claim 6 or any one of Claims 7 to 10 in conjunction with Claim 6, characterised in that the motif storage means (50) comprises a disk (54) which is rotatably mounted and which is entrained by a motor (55).
12. A device according to Claim 6 or any one of Claims 7 to 9 in conjunction with Claim 6, characterised in that the motif storage means comprises a plate (19), the device for displacement of the point of reference (23A) comprising motors (26, 27) for displacement in two different directions (X, Y).
13. A device according to any one of Claims 4 to 12, characterised in that the displacement control device (20) additionally comprises a drawing machine (21) which has a displaceable point and which is accessible to the person using the device for the purpose of drawing the trajectory of the desired point of reference for a positioning device (23) and for direct, or indirect, control of the device for displacement of the point of reference (23A), movement of the point being transmitted to the positioning device (23).
14. A device according to Claim 13, characterised in that the motif storage means (19) is controlled by the positioning device (23).
15. A device according to Claim 13 or Claim 14, characterised in that the displacement device (23A) is controlled by the positioning device (230.
16. A device according to any one of Claims 13 to 15 in conjunction with Claim 5, characterised in that the recording device (22) is controlled by the positioning device (23).
17. A device according to any one of Claims 4 to 16, characterised in that the displacement of the imprinting means (42, 59) in relation to the motif storage means (19, 50) is proportional to the displacement already made from the point of reference (38, 65) in the beam of light to define the contrasting light zone.
18. A device according to any one of Claims 4 to 16, characterised in that the data for recorded motifs is converted by an appropriate factor to adapt the motifs for projection in a projection location other than the recording location.

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